Nightmare Realm
by Princess Cherry Blossom
Summary: When disturbing voices and figures start tormenting Inoue in her dreams, what does it mean? Aizen is locked up, right? And why is Ichigo suddenly remembering these strange lines? Five lifetimes… One Love? IchiHime!
1. A Wicked Voice

**Summary**: When disturbing voices and figures start tormenting Inoue in her dreams, what does it mean? Aizen is locked up, right? And why is Ichigo suddenly remembering these strange lines? Five lifetimes… One Love? IchiHime!

**A/N**: Okay, this is my newest attempt at an IchiHime story, but! I've decided I was done with oneshots so get ready for a longer adventure! Enjoy

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><p><strong>Nightmare Realm<strong>

Chapter 1: A Wicked Voice

_Orihime ran down a pitch black hallway, no end in sight and not really sure how she got there in the first place. There were no walls, yet she felt the place was about to crumble around her. She felt as if something was chasing her, an unknown figure that was just about to catch up, she could almost feel his breath on her neck. Picking up her pace, the scene grew more and more vivid as an invisible grip tightened around her throat. Her lungs screamed for air, but she couldn't breathe. She tried to move, but found herself paralyzed, unable to scream, unable to cry, she felt the terror around her, her skin burning, the grip around her neck tightening even further._

"_Orihime"_

_She heard a painfully familiar voice call out to her in slow motion, sending shivers down her spine. The invisible hand around her lost its grip and she was now falling, not able to move any part of her body…_

She woke up with a gasp, covered in a cold sweat. Breathing heavily, she wrapped the blanket tighter around her trembling body. She moved her shaky hands to cover her face, and found that it was already wet; she could taste the salty tears on her lips.

She looked around her, as if to make sure that everything was alright. And it was. Her bed, her room, her stuff animals, the scent of cinnamon cookies she had backed for tomorrow's lunch.

It was just a nightmare. A full blown, bizarre and insanely real nightmare.

She felt a sharp pain on top of her head as she glanced at her clock and realized she had only slept for 2 hours. And there was no way she could go back to sleep now.

Another restless night was ahead, and she sighed at the thought of it as she lay back down trying not to think of the scenes that just took place in her mind.

This had been the forth night in a row that she had not slept well, but tonight was the first time she had actually heard someone call out her name like that. Out of all the horrible things she had witnessed in her nightmares, that was probably the worst. The bare thought of it was enough to make her heart beat faster and tears start forming at the corner of her eyes once more. She clenched her eyelids shut, trying to think happy thoughts, but that seemed ridiculous at this point.

She would tremble and cry silently till dawn.

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><p>Ichigo stretched and yawned widely, making his way to Karakura High for another oh so exciting school day, as he noticed two familiar figures walking towards him.<p>

"You look as joyful as ever, Kurosaki" he heard his Quincy friend's sarcastic greeting, if you could call it that, and decided to ignore it.

"Good morning to you too" Ichigo murmured, "What's up, Chad?" he added lazily, not really waiting for a reply as he kept walking, his two friends quickly catching up with him.

The three nakama entered the already crowded schoolyard, as more of their classmates joined them.

Ichigo could hear them analyzing last night's game in the background, but found himself too lazy to join the conversation. He seemed too lost in his own thoughts to engage in any kind of discussion. That was probably why he found himself surprised as they reached their classroom.

The girls were already gathered around a desk in the center of the classroom as he entered, but what caught his eye immediately was the absence of his auburn haired nakama as she was usually the center of attention, with Chizuru drooling after her and Tatsuki shouting out death treats.

He sat at his desk, aimlessly gazing through the window, his mind trailing off again.

"Himeeeee-chaaaan!"

The inarticulate scream of his crazy lesbian classmate brought him out of his thoughts, as his gaze turned to the door, only to see the girl he had just been thinking about.

Orihime dragged her feet across the floor, as her female admirer ran in, her arms wide open for a hug and ready to grab her front. The contact never happened however, as Tatsuki grabbed the girl by the back of her uniform. Orihime, who usually played the part of the peace maker in these situations, tiredly advanced to her desk and stumbled to her seat, sitting down uneasily.

Ichigo observed her closely, as she unpacked her bag in a very an Orihime like fashion. Her movements were slow and not very energetic, her face lacked the usual bright smile and just then he realized, she didn't even greet him. In fact, she hadn't seemed to notice him or any of their other friends for that matter.

Something was off and he could feel it, just by looking at her drained expression, he knew she wasn't being her usual self.

As class was about to start, he forced those worried thoughts away from his mind and tried to focus on the lecture and maintain his attention there as long as possible, but kept glancing back at her, only to find her lost in her own thoughts, as if she was only physically present.

Ichigo frowned as he turned back to stare at the blackboard, to anxious to concentrate on keeping notes, he figured he'd just copy them from Ishida. Was he being too paranoid? For a second he found himself feeling ridiculous about looking too deep into this. She could have just been having an off day or something! And since when was he the one to overanalyze other people's behavior anyway?

Still, he couldn't shake this irritable, angsty feeling that had gotten under his skin off. What had disturbed him the most was the fact that his intuition rarely let him down.

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><p>The school bell rang and Ichigo snapped out of his jumbled thoughts, he picked up his schoolbag and slowly made his way out of the classroom.<p>

"Kurosaki, Inoue-san, you coming?" he heard Ishida call out and glanced back to notice Orihime still packing up her bag, lost in her own world, she didn't even seem to register the question directed to her.

"You guys go ahead, we'll catch up" Ichigo replied, ignoring the amused smirk Ishida gave him before heading off with Chad.

Orihime seemed to have finally become aware of her surroundings, as she looked surprised to have found herself in the room alone with him.

He silently watched her pick up the rest of her stuff as he still wasn't sure how to start the conversation.

"Inoue?" he finally spoke, his voice sounding softer that usual. "Is… everything alright?"

She looked up at him with a confused expression, but quickly replaced it with a seemingly forced smile. "Y-yes, Kurosaki-kun! U-uh, why do you ask?" she stuttered as they walked together, making their way out of the school.

"I just noticed you spaced out during class, and you seem a bit disoriented… Is something bothering you?"

"What-ugh, no! Not at all" she started. "I just didn't sleep so well last night, you know? The little blue men just kept waking me up and…" she went on, as Ichigo studied her face, noticing the dark circles under her eyes that manifested her exhaustion.

Just then, she somehow managed to trip over _her own feet and almost hit the ground hard but instead found herself in a pair of strong arms__, holding her firmly._

_"K-kurosaki-kun?" he heard her mutter against his chest, slowly looking up and meeting his gaze. Taking a good look at her, he noticed a light blush creeping on her cheeks and almost smirked at her, but reminded himself he had more important things to worry about as he helped her on her feet._

_"I-I'm just a little dizzy, that's all!" she explained, avoiding his gaze, slowly distancing herself from him. "I'll see you tomorrow then, nee?" _

_"Wait, Inoue" __he called out. "I should probably walk you home…"_

_"N-no!" she replied urgently. "I'm fine, really! No need to worry. Bye!" And with that, she hurried down the road, not giving him a chance to protest. _

_Ichigo _rubbed his chin in confusion as he watched her walk away and decided to drop the subject for the time being. He didn't own her, nor did he have the right to force her to open up. But something was bothering her and he was sure of it. Or maybe he was just monitoring her too closely?

Ever since the Hueco Mundo fiasco he always kept an eye open for her, as his resolve to protect her was now stronger then ever. Especially since he had experienced the feeling of actually losing her, he couldn't make the same mistake again. Ever.

He frowned at the images his mind was creating, remembering the morning he first found out she had been kidnapped.

"Oi, Kurosaki!" an all too familiar voice stopped his train of thoughts. "Your rendezvous' finally over, huh?"

Ichigo shot the Quincy with a single icy glare, as he joined him and Chad and continued walking.

Silence filled the air until Ichigo finally spoke out. "You guys didn't notice anything weird about Inoue today, did you?"

"What do you mean?" he heard Chad's deep baritone reply.

"I mean" he started "She didn't seem like her usual self and…"

"Kurosaki" Ishida suddenly interrupted. "What happened in Hueco Mundo is over. Months have passed. She's safe."

"I know that" Ichigo never shifted his gaze from the ground. "But that's what we thought before too, and you know how it turned out."

"Ishida's right, Ichigo" Chad suddenly exclaimed. "Aizen's locked up, there's nothing he can do from where he's at. And there hasn't been any strange reiatsu ever since. Stop torturing yourself."

"And ask Inoue-san out already" Ishida added, as his face lit up with a devilish grin.

"Shut up" Ichigo snored and let the rest of the walk home go in silence. It turned out he was tormenting himself with disturbing thoughts for no reason after all. Ishida and Chad were right, Aizen was no longer a threat, and if a new enemy was lurking, they would have picked up on it by now.

He let out one last deep sigh, as he allowed his mind to wander off.

Little did he know, later that night a certain auburn-haired girl was going in for another round of the hell that were here disturbingly real nightmares.

**To be continued…**

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><p><strong>AN: **Sooo, how was it? This kind of writing is really new to me, since all of my stories have been fluffy and well, positive? I wanted to make this one a little darker and angstier.

I know there hasn't been much of IchiHime, but I promise there's much more to come!

Still, I'd like to know what you guys thought! Is it worth continuing? If yes, please say so, so that I'll know writing this isn't completely pointless xD

Have a nice day

xo


	2. An Offer You Can't Refuse

**A/N:** Hiya! I'm glad you've decided to stick with the story and check out the next chapter! I really hope you enjoy it

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><p>Chapter 2: An Offer You Can't Refuse<p>

_Orihime found herself in a large white hall_ _of_ _wide-spreading dimensions. It was absolutely empty, with many doors. Her gaze traveled around, taking in this new, unfamiliar place as she tried to remember how she had gotten there in the first place. _

"_Orihime"_

_Her eyes grew wide with shock, as a voice suddenly entered her mind. She anxiously looked around to locate its source, but there was no one in sight. _

"_Orihime"_

_The voice kept echoing in her head again and again, and she could hear it along with her racing heartbeat. She clenched her eyelids shut and tried to steady her breath, but suddenly her skin was burning, the pain felt as if she was on fire._

"_Orihime"_

_She kept hearing her name, as the voice kept sounding louder and clearer. She found herself in a state of panic and raced to one of the many doors, but soon realized it was locked. She moved on to the next, and the next, and the next, but she couldn't get out. _

_Suddenly the place felt as if it was about to crumble around her and she dropped to the floor and…_

She woke up screaming in her bed, sweating copiously and gripping the _sheets_. She was panting heavily and could hear her heartbeat still racing.

She sat up to open the window above her bed to let some fresh air in and let her head drop on her knees. The night breeze caressed her skin and she took in the smothering summer scent. Everything around her seemed so composed and relaxing, yet on the inside, Orihime felt as if she could break down any minute.

Tears started forming in the corner of her eyes, and she let them slip down her cheeks, burying her head into her knees.

Why was this happening to her? It had been a week since she had her first nightmare and it seemed they only kept getting worse.

She hated them. They weren't like anything she had experienced before. She felt a sudden chill rush down her spine as she remembered the images from just now. And what was up with that voice? It was as if someone simply entered her mind, and kept calling her name out from the inside and she had no control of it what so ever.

She didn't want to let that happen ever again! But what was she supposed to do, deprive herself from sleep until she figured out how to make it stop?

She was already having trouble catching up with school, not to mention her friends getting suspicious over her drained look.

She clutched the sheet tighter as she remembered Ichigo coming up to her the other day. She had felt bad about lying to him ever since, but the last thing she wanted was for him to worry about her. Again.

She had played the part of a burden for far too long in the past.

Orihime desperately tried to think of a reason why her mind hasn't been working properly. Her everyday life seemed so normal and carefree at the moment, so what was the cause of these utterly disturbing nightmares?

She couldn't think of a single thing.

She let out a deep sigh as she closed the window and laid back down. The night was still far from over.

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><p>"Che, how can I not worry about you?" Orihime heard her tomboyish best friend reply as they walked through the school hallway together. She sighed as she realized Tatsuki wasn't about to let this go. "I mean, no offense, but you look like you haven't slept in ages!"<p>

"Tatsuki-chan, I'm fine, really! So, your karate meet is tomorrow, right?"

"Don't you try to change the subject!" The two friends entered the classroom and headed for their seats. "Just tell me what's going on already! Ichigo, Chad, help me out here!" Tatsuki called out to the group of boys gathered around one of the desks.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime panicked, suddenly becoming the centre of attention as the boys joined the conversation.

"What's up?" Ichigo narrowed his dark eyes at her, and she could feel heat rising to her face.

"I'd normally discuss this with her alone" Tatsuki started. "But she's just being too damn stubborn!" She gave Orihime a bit of an angry glare and continued. "She obviously hasn't slept in days, but refuses to say why!"

"You do look exhausted, Inoue" Chad remarked and Inoue's gaze dropped to the floor. This was all starting to feel more and more like an interrogation! The nasty feeling of anxiety started to take over her again.

"Inoue?" A deep, yet noticeably softer voice jolted her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw Ichigo's eyes studying her carefully and… worriedly?

"Ah-uh, I…" she stuttered, feeling something stir in her stomach. "I…" Was all she was able to mutter. She cleared her throat, trying to collect her thoughts but it was really hard to focus with him staring at her so intensely, not to mention the other two watching on the sidelines.

Should she just confess what was bothering her and get it over with? At this point, it seemed like the only option left.

She let out one last deep sigh and tried to gather up all her courage. "T-the truth is… I've been having these dreams" She swallowed hard. "N-nightmares actually. And they keep getting so bizarre and feel so real, I just…"

"What?" Tatsuki urged her to go on, her voice sounding much softer than before.

"I keep waking up in the middle of the night" She confessed weakly, her gaze falling down again. "And then I just can't go back to sleep at all".

"Why didn't you come to me about this, Orihime?" Tatsuki asked gently, placing her hand over hers.

"Y-you have that karate meet, and I didn't want to worry you because I know you need to focus and…"

"Since when is that more important to me than you?" Tatsuki sighed deeply. "I don't think you should be alone at night till this passes though".

Silence lingered for a few moments, until Tatsuki spoke again. "I'm leaving for the meet tonight and won't be here for a couple of days, but I can always…"

"She can stay at my place" Ichigo suddenly offered, his voice cool and serious.

Tatsuki looked at him suspiciously, while a dark blush spread like wildfire over Orihime's cheeks. She felt something stir inside her stomach as her throat went dry.

"I'm serious, she can stay at my place" he repeated firmly. "She'd be around people she knows, maybe that'll make her relax and get some sleep. And if she wakes up from a nightmare, she won't be alone".

"Hmm" Tatsuki didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure that's the only reason you want her at your house-"

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime blushed even more if possible, clutching her friends hand to prevent her from embarrassing her even more.

"Oww! That hurt you know!" Tatsuki hissed. "So, would you be okay with staying with him for a couple of days?"

Orihime sweat dropped at the question. She felt all eyes were on her again, but decided to take a moment to think.

_L-living in Kurosaki-kun's house? S-sleeping in his house? _

She felt her body temperature rise at the thought of it! Wouldn't she be a nuisance? Again?

Still, having Kurosaki-kun near sure beats being alone in her lonely apartment while those nasty dreams drive her mad.

"Inoue?" her train of thoughts was once again interrupted by a familiar voice.

She lifted her gaze to Ichigo. "I-if it's not too much trouble, I-I guess…".

"Why would it be trouble?" he replied with a small smile. "It's not a problem at all. We can go get your things after school".

"O-okay then" she stuttered, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes.

Tatsuki still had a suspicious, don't-you-dare-try-something-weird look directed at Ichigo, but the thing seemed settled, just in time since class was about to start.

Orihime sat down at her desk and tried to figure out what just happened.

"_She can stay at my place." _

She felt her cheeks turn red as she remembered that line and tried to hide her face from the sensei. She sighed for what seemed the hundredth time.

This was going to be one long day.

**To be continued...**

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><p><strong>AN: **Short chapter, I know! I planned on it to be longer, but then it just seemed too long so I kind of chopped it in half! xD

What did you think? Bad, ok, not so good, great? Just tell me your thoughts, that'd make me really happy!

I promise, there is SO MUCH more to come, as dumb as it might be to say that about your own story, I think you'll like the next chapter more! So I hope you decide to stick around :)

THANK YOU **GuiltyIchiHime**, **nypsy**, **Lord** **Jaric**, **PoeticNonsenseNinjaStyle**, **Areej** **Binte** **Jawaid**, **stormsomemore** and **S0phi34wn** for your awesome reviews! :D

Have a nice day, ya'all!

xo


	3. Finding The Answer

Chapter 3: Finding The Answer

Ichigo stretched lazily on the living room couch, flipping through the TV channels but dropped the remote to the floor as nothing seemed to have kept his attention. He yawned, rumpling up his hair as he briefly glanced at the clock. A quarter to seven. He still had time.

He let his eyelids drop and his mind began to wander.

"_K-kurosaki-kun's already doing so much for me, I- I'll just go get my things alone and meet you a-at your house!" _an impeccably sweet voice echoed in his head.

Ichigo still wasn't quite sure how he had gotten himself into this very unlikely situation, but in a matter of minutes, Inoue Orihime was about to enter his home for a sleepover. Several sleepovers to be exact. As Isshin was already thanking the heavens for a daughter in law and Yuzu and Karin were far to excited about making dinner, he knew he'd never hear the end of this, but what concerned Ichigo far more was the reason behind her visit.

He frowned as he remembered her frail expression while she was struggling to confess what had been bothering her earlier that day. Inwardly, he blamed himself for giving her space and not being there for her when she was clearly powerless and needed support.

_Why does this keep happening?_ Ichigo mentally asked himself. How come every time he promises to protect her he finds a way to mess it up?

He never gave much thought to why he felt so protective towards her. In a way, it always came naturally, as if his instincts were guiding him to make sure she was alright. And every time he failed at that task, he found it very difficult to forgive himself.

The images of her being tortured in Hueco Mundo suddenly kept flashing before his eyes and he forced his mind to shove them away, cursing under his breath. That was supposed to be the last time she had to suffer like that.

He knew feeling this frustrated about her nightmares was really quite foolish. It's not as if he could just use Zangetsu and make them go away. There really wasn't anything he could do about it, yet the though alone of her suffering was enough to make his heart sink.

He let a deep sigh escape his lips and sat up, just in time as the door bell suddenly rang.

"She's here!" he heard Isshin exclaim excitedly from the top of the staircase and rolled his eyes as he hurried to the door to make it there first.

He opened it to reveal a nervous looking girl standing behind it.

"Hi!" she smiled brightly.

"Hey" Ichigo responded as he watched her enter the hallway. "Welcome."

"Welcome, welcome, my dear!" Isshin popped out between the two. "Come in, don't be shy!"

Orihime chuckled nervously and Ichigo couldn't help but feel sorry for her being harassed like that as he lead them into the living room.

"I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience!" she blurted out suddenly. "I know this is…"

"Oh, don't be silly dearest!" Isshin exclaimed in a cheerful tone. "How could this be an inconvenience?"

"Inoue-san!" a high pitched voice entered the room and Ichigo turned to see Yuzu and Karin join the gathering.

_More excited family members. Awesome. _He thought with a frown and glanced at Inoue to see her equally happy to see his sisters.

"So sorry to hear about your nightmares!" Karin started. "But you'll feel much better around us for sure and…"

"Just relax and make yourself at home, Inoue-san!" Yuzu interrupted excitedly.

"That probably won't happen if you all keep cornering her like this" Ichigo suddenly murmured. "Sorry about that, Inoue"

"N-no no! It's fine!" she replied smilingly and Ichigo's expression softened. _This girl has too much patience for her own good._

"I'm very, very grateful" she added, earning grins from the two sisters.

"It's our pleasure, dear!" Isshin joined the conversation again. "I honestly never thought the day would come for my only son to…"

"Isn't it about time you go check up on the clinic, old man?" Ichigo interrupted, irritated that this was all dragging on forever. "And then it'd be time for dinner, huh Yuzu?"

"Yeah!" the bouncy girl replied. "You know, Inoue-san, I made my specialty, it's called…" she rambled on and headed to the kitchen with Orihime, who seemed eager to learn about Yuzu's cooking stories.

Ichigo watched as the room emptied, then stumbled back on the couch and let out a long sigh. He was in for a long evening, that's for sure.

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><p>As Orihime listened to Karin's soccer stories and Isshin's funny remarks that would pop up every now and then through dinner, she found herself enjoying the company of the Kurosaki family. The atmosphere was so warm and relaxed, in a way she felt more at home around them than in her own apartment.<p>

The evening was filled with fun and laughter and Orihime seemed to have completely forgotten about her worries. Her lips curved upwards as she realized this was the first time in days she felt like her old self.

However, her lack of sleep was slowly starting to show as her eyelids grew heavy. She tried to suppress a yawn, but failed miserably. Her body was definitely in need of rest.

"We should probably call it a night" Ichigo's voice broke her thoughts. "Inoue really needs to get some sleep".

"Uh-oh" she murmured as her cheeks grew warm. She didn't want to seem rude! "It's okay, I-I…"

"Don't worry about it!" Ichigo assured her with a small smile, as if he could hear her thoughts. "C'mon, I'll show you to your room…"

"Look at you my boy, already taking the initiative!" Isshin suddenly exclaimed with pride. "Well, you can't blame him, Orihime-chan…"

"Aren't you supposed to be cleaning up or something?" Ichigo quickly interrupted. "C'mon" he murmured at Orihime who was still blushing silently.

As the two went up the staircase in silence, Orihime wondered where she would sleep as she remembered there were only 3 bedrooms upstairs. Her question was quickly answered as Ichigo opened the door of his own room. Her eyes grew wide in shock.

_I-I-I'm sleeping in Kurosaki-kun's room? In HIS BED? _She mentally panicked and felt her body temperature rise.

She swallowed hard and entered the room.

"Here's where you'll be staying" his voice woke her from her jumbled thoughts. "I can't really let you sleep on the couch…" he explained after seeing her startled expression.

"K-kurosaki-kun!" she suddenly called out to him in an unusually high pitched voice. "You really don't have to do this, I-I…"

"Don't be silly" he replied as he took his pajamas from the drawer. "I don't mind…"

She sighed nervously, trying to collect her thoughts. Why was she getting this excited again? She didn't know herself, but just the thought about sleeping in his room, his bed made her insides grow wild with butterflies.

She watched him collect his things from the closet and suddenly remembered another time they were alone in his room. That thought alone made her cheeks grow into a dark shade of red.

_That was the night I…_

"Something wrong?" he broke her thoughts again.

"Huh?" was all she managed to mutter. She mentally kicked herself for being such a damn wreck. He was probably starting to think she was a complete idiot…

"Your face…"

"I'm fine, really!" she exclaimed urgently and let out a nervous chuckle.

"Okay… Hey, you know what?" Ichigo seemed to have remembered something. "We forgot your bag downstairs! I'll just go grab it…"

"A-ah" she watched him disappear and leave her standing alone in his room.

Alone. In his room. Kurosaki-kun's room.

She swallowed hard as she glanced at his bed.

Maybe this night was going to be as restless as any after all.

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><p>Ichigo made his way to the living room as he noticed Yuzu and Karin still washing up and finishing the chores.<p>

"I'm just gonna bring Inoue her stuff and see if she needs anything, and then I'm at your service."

"No need to rush, son" Isshin remarked, suddenly popping out behind him. "It's not everyday you have a beautiful girl in your bedroom…" he trailed off, but Ichigo chose to ignore the old man's "fatherly advice".

He headed back to his room where he found Inoue still looking a bit uncomfortable, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Hey" he dropped her bag beside the door. "So, you think you'll be ok in here?"

"Oh, yeah, o-of course!" she quickly replied. "I just feel bad you have to sleep on the couch because of me…"

"Don't worry about it" he assured her, noticing she still had a light blush on her cheeks. Ichigo couldn't help but be amused. He didn't expect her to be so nervous about this whole sleeping arrangement.

"Inoue" he started, taking a seat at his desk. There was something he needed to make sure before he left. "I'm sorry to mention this, but about your nightmares… Why do you think they keep happening? Is there something going on…?"

Her gaze fell to the floor as she bit her lip. The excitement and energy she radiated just a few moments ago seemed long forgotten as her eyes were now showing an unusually worried look.

She looked torn for a few moments, but eventually spoke. "I don't really know why myself…"

Silence lingered as Ichigo studied her troubled expression. He absolutely hated seeing her like this. "Have you thought about what the nightmares might mean?"

"Yes, but I have no idea…" she started. "They just feel so real, like I'm…" her voice sounded weak and shaky. "Like it's all really happening, and then there's this voice..."

Tears started forming in her eyes and Ichigo instantly felt like someone punched him in the stomach. The poor girl had been in agony all this time, and none of them even noticed how bad it was.

He quickly got up and sat himself next to her. He let her calm down as he started lightly caressing her arm, a bit surprised by his own actions.

"I keep hearing a voice calling out my name… " she finally found her voice. "I don't know whose voice it is, but…" she confessed in a low voice, almost a whisper. "That's what scares me the most" she let out another whimper, and Ichigo suddenly pulled her closer to lean on him. He felt her tense at his action, but eventually relax and let out a deep sigh.

"Inoue…" he started, in a much gentler voice he was used to hearing from himself. "I had no idea it was that bad… I'm so sorry".

They stayed like this for a couple of moments and Ichigo kept asking himself what could possibly be the right thing to do or say at a time like this. His heart was aching while her soft whimpers filled the room and he forced his mind to dig deeper, to try to find a way to help her.

Minutes that seemed like ages passed, and then suddenly he felt her squirm beneath him. As he looked down he saw her staring at him with her swollen, dark eyes.

"Kurosaki-kun always has to worry about me" she finally broke the silence, with a small smile upon her lips. "I'm sorry".

"Inoue…" he whispered. "Don't apologize."

Silence lingered between them again and Ichigo suddenly became very aware of their rather "intimate" position, as their faces were now inches away. She was gazing at him with her innocent hazel eyes, but his were focused on her full pink lips and he couldn't help but feel tempted. Slowly, he started leaning forward and…

"ICHI-NII!"

Both of them jumped at the sound of Yuzu's high pitched voice that suddenly filled the air. Ichigo swallowed hard as he distanced himself from the equally confused girl on his bed, not entirely sure what had just happened.

"I, ah…" he muttered, trying to collect his thoughts. "I should go… But if you need anything at all, you know where I'll be."

She simply nodded, a light blush visible on her face. He felt horrible about leaving her alone after what she had told him, but there wasn't really anything he could do right now other then hope she would finally have a peaceful night.

"Goodnight" with that, he turned to the door and heard her mutter the same back at him. If he had glanced back for just a second, he would have seen her smiling warmly at him.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Ichigo found himself tossing and turning on the couch for what seemed an eternity. His mind was a mess, but there was one thought he couldn't shake off as much as he tried.<p>

If Yuzu hadn't stopped him earlier, he might have… Scratch that, he really would have kissed her!

He felt chills rush down his spine as he remembered the moment he started leaning down towards her.

What in the world happened back there?

Could it be that the care he felt for her wasn't as innocent as before any longer?

He sighed deeply as he buried his head into the pillow, trying to stop these strange new thoughts. Whatever he was feeling wasn't important because right now, she needed support. She needed a friend.

Besides, it was probably just his imagination anyway. It's been such a long and eventful day, he figured his mind was just playing tricks on him.

Just then, he remembered how her warm breath was tickling his skin as they were about to…

_Damn it! _He wanted to punch himself in the face for thinking about her like that. _What the hell's wrong with me?_

He let out another long sigh of frustration and decided that this day really needed to end. Now.

He let his eyelids drop as he felt sleep slowly claim him….

…

An ear-piercing scream shot through the air and Ichigo instantly jumped on his feet.

_Inoue!_

His mind was in a state of panic as he ran through the house as fast as eyes could see. He reached his destination within seconds and nearly tore the door off as he stormed in.

He felt ice shot through his veins as he saw the expression on her face.

She was pale as snow and her eyes were filled with terror. She turned her head and looked at him with an almost lunatic expression.

"It was Aizen."

**To be continued…**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Gotta love those cliffhangers, huh? xD

First of all, I apologize for the late update ^^" I've had a bit of a crazy week with some nasty exams, so it's been hard to find the time to write as much as I wanted to!

Thank you SO MUCH for your lovely reviews, they make me really happy AND keep me motivated : ) It always helps to hear your opinion.

Ok, that's it for now! Hope to see you at the next chapter!

xo


	4. Messed Up On The Inside

Chapter 4: Messed Up On The Inside

Ichigo was poised to kill.

Well, not really. But he was pissed off. Extremely pissed off. He could feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest and anger kept boiling inside him as he fought a great urge to destroy and crush something with his bare hands.

He clenched his eyelids shut and tried forcing his mind to stop torturing him with disturbing images that kept creeping up. He needed to relax. But more than anything, he needed to release his inner demons…

"Ichigo…" he could hear Chad's voice from behind. "You have to calm down…"

The Shinigami Substitute didn't bother replying and just kept walking in circles around the tiny front yard of Urahara's shop.

It was exactly 4 o'clock in the morning. Anyone would assume that whoever was up at that ungodly hour would lack this kind of energy. But not Ichigo. In his case, the nasty feeling of waking up in the middle of the night seemed long forgotten.

The second he found Inoue trembling uncontrollably in his bed, stuttering something about Aizen, he knew what he had to do. The very thought of that scene sent chills down his spine.

How in the world did this happen again?

Well, since it involved Inoue, and him failing to protect her for the millionth time, it shouldn't come as a surprise that it did happen now, should it?

_Damn it! _He really needed to punch something. Now.

"We've done all we could for now" Ishida's calm voice broke his jumbled thoughts. "We'll have to wait for Urahara-san to figure out what's next…"

Ichigo knew that. He really did. After all, it was his idea to bring her here after he found her in that state. He knew he was being unreasonable, but dammit what was he supposed to do? Sit back and wait calmly for that creep to use her for some twisted plan again?

"Uhm, everyone? You can come in now" Urahara suddenly appeared.

"Where's Inoue?" Ichigo asked urgently.

"Yoruichi's looking after her. She's feeling better" Urahara exclaimed in an unfamiliar, serious voice.

Ichigo sighed as he followed the others into the house. They gathered around the table in the living room where they usually had their "meetings". Urahara wasted no time and started answering the curious group's questions they didn't even need to ask out loud.

"After examining her, I can say for sure this wasn't just a bad dream" he started. "It's something that's been building up inside of her for a while, and what happened tonight is the culmination."

"The full power of Kyoka Suigetsu, Aizen's Zanpakuto, as well as his mind abilities are still a mystery" he continued. "I don't have any concrete proof, but my theory is that he somehow sealed a part of his reiatsu inside Orihime, probably to gain control over her body."

"So he put something, presumably his reiatsu, inside her and is now using it as a link to control her mind and body?" Ishida reasoned. "Probably as a plan B, if everything else he was attempting failed."

"That's what it seems like."

"_Were you relieved to see she was unhurt, or at least looked like it?"_

"_Maybe we messed her up on the inside!"_

"_That woman is one of us now. That will never change, even if you do rescue her."_

"_Saving her is meaningless."_

The long forgotten words of Ichigo's former Espada opponents suddenly started echoing in his head, unlocking old memories and worries from that cursed trip to Hueco Mundo.

The truth was, he never forgot those threats, but simply buried them deep enough to stop torturing himself with something he couldn't fix. And since Inoue seemed perfectly fine and back to her old self in a matter of days after they had returned home, he figured they had all been through enough for one year and needed to relax.

Obviously, that was a mistake.

Ichigo's fists balled tightly beside him, the rage he felt earlier started spreading through him like wildfire again.

It was all his fault after all! If Urahara had examined her earlier, could he have prevented all of this? Probably.

Dealing with a strong urge to punch himself in the face, he let out a long sigh of frustration and tried to calm down.

"What do we do now?" he managed to utter, not looking at anyone directly.

"I'm not even sure if this is the truth…"

"So how the hell do we stop it then?" Ichigo barked angrily, but regretted his harsh reaction almost immediately. He knew the way he was acting wasn't about to solve anything and cursed himself inwardly for being such a damn idiot.

Silence filled the room and created some kind of an uneasy atmosphere between them, and no one dared to speak for a while.

"The only way to confirm this, and possibly solve it, is through Aizen himself" Urahara finally exclaimed. "There is no way to get through to Orihime's mind, he obviously made sure of that."

"So, what are we waiting for?" Ichigo sat up. "We're headed to Soul Society, right?"

"You should know..."Urahara seemed afraid of Ichigo's next reaction. "Captain-Commander Yammamoto's probably not going to thrilled about visiting Aizen like this…"

"We'll deal with the geezer when we get there." Ichigo stated simply. "Let's go."

As the group made they're way out of the house with Urahara going on ahead to prepare the Senkaimon, Ichigo registered a sudden soft gasp behind them. And he knew very well whose gasp it was.

"K-kurosaki-kun?" he heard Inoue's nervous voice from behind. He could only imagine the expression on her face.

He let out a deep sigh. "We're off to Soul Society." He didn't face her. He couldn't. "Try to get some rest."

And with that, he slipped inside the tunnel Urahara had already opened, never looking back.

* * *

><p>"Isshin is insisting that you stay at their house." Yoruichi repeated as Orihime tried to dig deeper into her mind and find an excuse not to go back there. "He feels like you're his responsibility."<p>

"B-but, I've already caused so much trouble and-"

"Oh, please." Yoruichi sighed. "I'm not even gonna bother explaining why that's complete nonsense."

Orihime's gaze darted to all directions except the cat-like Shinigami and bit her lip nervously. _How do I get myself out of this one?_

"I don't know why you're suddenly refusing to stay at Ichigo's." Yoruichi slowly sat herself beside her. "But I'm not going to ask you why." She added in a little gentler voice. "The thing is, we need someone to look after you. And I keep going back and forth to Soul Society all the time, so Isshin's the only one left."

"And I'll be there whenever you need me, Inoue-san" Ishida added from the corner of the room with a reassuring smile on his face.

Orihime smiled back at the Quincy. He had decided to stay and keep her company the last minute, figuring the group would be fine without him in Soul Society and that he was far more needed here.

"No one's mad at you, I promise." Yoruichi encouraged her further.

_That's not true._

How could she go back to that house after everything that's happened? Like she hasn't put that family through enough already. And to simply waltz right in there, like she hadn't traumatized all of them just last night… She couldn't do that. She wouldn't.

The truth was, she knew Isshin wasn't mad at her. She couldn't even imagine him being mad, and the same went for Yuzu and Karin. _But Kurosaki-kun…_

"_We're off to Soul Society. Try to get some rest."_

Those words sounded so cold and harsh in her ears, it was almost like he was talking to one of his opponents. She had never seen him act like that, not even bothering to look at her. But could she blame him? After all he's been through because of her? And it still wasn't over. He was still fighting her battles, suffering because of her.

She could feel tears threatening to form in the corner of her eyes and mentally panicked, as all attention was on her.

"A-alright. I'll go." She gave in, knowing there really was no other option right now.

"Good girl." She heard Yoruichi reply and somehow managed to smile at her.

As she and Ishida slowly made their way to the Kurosaki's house, Orihime could hear her Quincy friend's attempts to cheer her up in the background, but there was only one thing captivating her mind.

She would give anything to make those memories disappear. Hell, she would gladly trade them for the nightmares she had experienced just a few days ago. After last night's events, they seemed like a far better option.

She momentarily felt shivers rush down her spine, as her mind unlocked the images that had haunted her just a few hours ago. What exactly happened was far too difficult for her to express in words, she could barely give Urahara a decent answer earlier.

She remembered having difficulties relaxing last night, partly because she was in Ichigo's bed, but mostly because she was afraid of hearing that voice again. That agonizingly familiar voice that felt so real and actually present.

When she finally managed to fall asleep, it started calling out to her as she had expected, only this time it seemed clearer, closer, even more familiar. And just then, his face appeared before her, his intense glare piercing through her and his lips moved, saying:

"_Orihime… I own you, Orihime…"_

She had been completely aware of her surroundings the whole time, but her body simply wouldn't listen to her. She was unable to move, to open her eyes, to use her voice. Remembering the agonizing feeling of being trapped in her own body made her so anxious and uneasy, she was sure that was by far the worst experience of her life.

It was as if she didn't own her body anymore. Aizen did.

"Inoue-san?" Ishida's voice brought her back to reality. "We're here."

"O-oh" she uttered, still too wrapped up in her own thoughts to think of a decent response.

"Inoue-san" Ishida turned to face her directly, his gaze showing deep concern. "Is there anyway I can help?"

"Ishida-kun…" she trailed off and mentally kicked herself for dazing off on him again. She really needed to work on her focus, or people might start thinking she was a total idiot. "Thank you, but I don't think anyone can…"

"Don't worry." He smiled reassuringly. "Kurosaki won't give up until he fixes this."

Orihime's gaze dropped at the mention of his name, remembering his words from earlier.

"I know we've had out differences, me and him…" Ishida started. "But I have confidence in him this time. I'm sure he's gonna handle this the right way."

* * *

><p>Ichigo marched through the halls of Seireitei, his two companions having difficulty caching up with his demanding pace.<p>

"Ichigo, wait up!" he heard Chad call out from behind, but chose to ignore his request as he couldn't slow down even if he wanted to. The strong urge to get this over and done with right now wouldn't let him.

As the group progressed to the 1st Division's headquarters and kept attracting curious looks from the passing Shinigami, Ichigo felt his heartbeat racing wildly.

"K-kurosaki-kun, we should discuss how we're going to ask the Captain-Commander to let us…" he heard Urahara trail off, but chose to ignore him as well because… Well, he simply didn't feel like discussing anything right now.

As they finally arrived at the Captain's office, Ichigo momentarily decided waiting, planning his approach or even knocking would be pointless and simply barged right in, revealing the old Shinigami sitting at his desk.

"I need to speak with Aizen. _Now_."

**To be continued…**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **First of all, I am super SUPER sorry for taking so long to update! I really hope you guys are still interested in the story.

I can't say I'm too happy with how this chapter turned out, but working on it it helped me realize it's a lot easier for me to write in Ichigo's mindset. What do you think? Do you like it better if I write from Ichigo's or Inoue's perspective?

Well, thanks for reading and again, THANKS so much for reviewing! Your comments make me smile =)

I really hope you stick around for the next chapter!

xo


	5. Plan B

Chapter 5: Plan B

"What did you just say?" The captain-commander frowned at the young man in front of him, confusion and growing anger visible on his face.

"You heard me." Ichigo stated firmly. "I need to speak with Aizen. Right now."

"Captain…commander…sama." Urahara finally managed to catch up, followed by Chad who was also panting heavily. "Please… forgive…Kurosaki-kun" he said in between breaths. "He's… as hasty… as ever, heh."

"Just what the hell is going on, Urahara?" the old Shinigami barked, as his hot temper already got the better of him.

"Captain-commander-sama, we have a serious situation." Urahara stated, finally regaining his voice. "One that requires your immediate attention."

* * *

><p>"Seriously, Ishida-kun, you've done enough!" Orihime insisted, as she entered Ichigo's room, followed by her Quincy companion. "You probably have better things to do than-"<p>

"Don't worry about it, Inoue-san! I'm all yours today." He replied, as he sat himself on the nearby chair. "Since Isshin is busy in the clinic, and Yuzu and Karin are in school, I'd be glad to keep you company." He smiled warmly.

Smiling back, Inoue nodded and sighed in defeat, excepting the fact that she wasn't about to catch a break from just about anyone today.

She looked around absent mindedly. Strangely enough, Ichigo's room, even his bed, held so many different memories for her, more than anyone would ever assume. Aside from the fact that she had experienced the most traumatic night in her entire life in this very place just a few hours ago, it was also the place she had confessed her love to a boy for the very first time. Sure, he had been unconscious at the time, but still. It was also then, when she almost had her first kiss.

Orihime felt something stir inside her stomach at the very thought of that night. At that time, she was sure she would never see any of her friends again, but somehow, confessing her love for the Shinigami Substitute made her feel more at peace than ever. Almost enough to make her want to do it again, while he was actually listening. _Almost_.

"Inoue-san?" Ishida called to her attention. "I know you might not like the sound of this, but…" He paused, contemplating whether he should go on . "Maybe you should try taking a nap?"

Orihime felt her body tense and swallowed hard. Sleep? Just the thought of it made her feel anxious! Then again, her body really needed some rest, but…Was it worth the risk?

"I know you're scared." Ishida spoke gently, as if hearing her thoughts. "But I'll be right here the whole time, okay?" He encouraged her. "As soon as I notice something unusual, I'll wake you up." He promised.

"Ishida-kun, I…" Orihime trailed off, not sure what kind of an answer to give him. Sleeping really would be nice, but… What if Aizen was just waiting for the next chance to take hold of her mind? Who knows what could happen this time! Orihime knew for a fact she wasn't ready to find out!

"It's alright." Ishida told her. "It was just a thought. I-It's probably too soon." He tried to calm her, and Orihime could only imagine the expression she was wearing if he had given up this soon.

Letting out a small sigh of relief, she sat herself on the bed behind her. "Thank you, Ishida-kun." She smiled. "For everything."

A light blush captured the Quincy's cheeks, and Orihime grinned at him in amusement. It wasn't often she'd catch her always-in-control friend off guard. _If only Kurosaki-kun could see him now, poor Ishida-kun would never hear the end of it… _With that thought, she felt her face fall.

_Kurosaki-kun... I wonder what you're doing right now._

* * *

><p>"And that's why we need to make sure of this right away." Urahara finally finished his long and thorough explanation.<p>

"In other words." Ichigo spoke out, very irritated that this was all taking forever. "Let's stop wasting time and go see that freak-show already!"

"Ichigo." He heard Chad mumble behind him, but chose to ignore his friend's attempt to calm him. He wasn't about to spend the whole day convincing this old geezer that something had to be done!

"So what you're saying." The captain-commander started, surprisingly calmly. "Is that the little girl, the one we thought was a traitor-"

"Her name is Inoue." Ichigo growled, balling his fists. "Inoue Orihime." _This old fart is seriously pushing his luck today…_

"As I was saying." He shot Ichigo with an icy glare. "The girl has a nightmare or two, and you automatically assume Aizen is behind it-"

"Captain- Commander-sama." Urahara interrupted. "It could very well be the truth-"

"Do you have any proof?" He growled, pounding his fists into the desk. "No, you don't!" He continued, not waiting for a reply. "This discussion is over!"

"WHAT?"

"Captain- Commander-sama, with all due respect…" Urahara frantically jumped in front of Ichigo, whose rage was practically radiating through the room. "There were misjudgments regarding Aizen in the past-"

"WHAT are you implying, Urahara?" the Captain- Commander shot up, his face growing red with fury.

"What he's _implying _is that you could have-"

"Ichigo." Chad quickly grabbed him by the shoulder. "Let Urahara handle this." He mumbled quietly.

"Captain- Commander-sama, I beg of you to reconsider-"

"Do you have any idea what kind of risk that holds?" He asked rhetorically. "Letting you through to Muken? Letting you actually talk to him?" His tone grew louder with each sentence. "Aizen will not have any kind of contact with a single soul." His sharp gaze traveled over the three men in front of him and then fixated on Ichigo. "Not even over my dead body."

* * *

><p>"Inoue-san, you haven't said anything for a while." Ishida remarked, shifting his gaze from the book he had been reading. "I wish there was a way to take your mind off of what happened last night."<p>

Orihime shook her head as she lifted her eyes towards him. "It's not that." She began in a small voice. "Well, not _just_ that. I… I'm worried." She confessed. "About Kurosaki-kun and the others…"

"Inoue-san…"

"I know I've been a burden on all of you." Orihime was surprised by how shaky her voice had gotten, but then realized this was actually the first time she was talking to someone about _that_ . "And now Kurosaki-kun is once again fighting because of me…"

"Inoue-san, you don't actually believe this is your fault, do you?" Ichida asked with concern, slowly sitting himself on the bed beside her. She gave him a small nod and lowered her gaze, hoping the tears that were threatening to form in her eyes would go unnoticed. "Inoue-san…"

"You've all been through so much because of me… And now… And now…" A lone tear traced down her cheek as she tried to regain her voice. "Now Kurosaki-kun hates me!"

"I-Inoue-san!" Ishida panicked in a horrified voice. Orihime knew she ambushed him with falling apart in front of him like this, but there was no way she could keep all of that inside anymore. The air was filled with her stifled sobs, as the two friends sat in silence.

"Inoue-san." The Quincy softly called for to attention and she titled her head towards him, staring at him with her hazel, now watery eyes. "None of us blame you for anything that's happened." He stated honestly. "The only way you could hurt us is if you keep thinking like that… Okay?"

Orihime gazed at him for a few moments, before nodding and letting out a long sigh.

"Oh, and one more thing." Ishida said in a more cheerful voice. "Knowing Kurosaki, the only person he hates right now is himself, for letting this happen to you."

The healer half-laughed at his remark, slowly whipping the tears from her cheeks. Maybe she really was exaggerating a little bit. But did Ichigo really feel that way? Was he actually mad at himself for letting this happen to her, like Ishida said? As much as it did put her to ease that he wasn't angry with her, Orihime didn't want him to feel this way either. Especially after everything he's done for her.

"Inoue-san?" Ishida broke her chain of thoughts. "This may seem a bit direct… Forgive me if I'm being rude, but… Can I ask you something?"

She looked up at him in confusion. "S-sure, Ishida-kun."

"Are you…" He started almost shyly, his voice tinged with mild curiosity. "Inoue-san, could it be that you're in love with Kurosaki?"

* * *

><p>Ichigo was certain he had never been more pissed off in his entire life. Nothing could compare to the animalistic urge he felt to strangle that old jerk with his bare hands just a few moments ago.<p>

The fact that he didn't care about his friend's wellbeing shouldn't have come as a surprise. He remembered that cursed morning when he found out about Inoue being kidnapped and felt his anger rise again as he recalled the idiot's reaction.

But ignoring the situation they were facing now could very well lead up to Aizen's comeback. Who knows what kind of plan he had in store! Another war perhaps?

_What is that old fart thinking? _

"Kurosaki-kun, we're leaving" Urahara informed him quietly. The Captain-Commander had ordered them to leave his office, threatening to physically kick them out if he had to. Ichigo would have gladly accepted his offer if it wasn't for Urahara and Chad who had to practically drag him out of there.

In the meantime, the whole Seireitei had heard of the commotion in the 1st Division's headquarters and Rukia and Renji decided to make an appearance.

"Ichigo…" Rukia called to his attention. "There really isn't much you guys can do right now."

He knew that, he really did. As difficult as it was to accept it, there wasn't a thing he could to at the moment. He felt helpless, weak and pathetic, much like that morning in Inoue's apartment. But most of all, he felt ashamed. What was he supposed to tell her now? Sorry, plan didn't quite work, have fun with your little nightmares with Aizen?

"But Renji and I are here." The female Shinigami continued, breaking his jumbled thoughts. "Even though there's no way to infiltrate Muken, we might be able to set another layer of barriers around it." She explained. "It's worth a shot."

"We'll talk to the other captains. Ukitake is definitely going to take this seriously." Renji assured him. "We've gotten through worst things, right Ichigo?"

The Shinigami Substitute could only imagine how depressed he looked if Renji of all people was trying to cheer him up. His lips twitched into a small smile. "Thanks guys."

Meanwhile, deep inside the prison of Muken, inside a dark, isolated cell a lone figure smirked smugly.

"_You're mine… Orihime." _

**To be continued...**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Again, very sorry for the late update! College has been driving me crazy!

I'm not sure how you guys had expected Yamamoto to react, but I personally think he'd be a jerk about it. Ever since that scene in Inoue's apartment, I've been irritated by the guy.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it was a short one. Big thanks to my faithful reviewers **nypsy, KurosakiCrystal18, IchiHime supporter, Areej Binte Jawaid, GuiltyIchiHime **and everyone else of course. (mia, blue-rose, ooo, death-angel-of-anime, …)

I work hard on this stuff, so feedback is very appreciated.

Thanks for reading either way : )

xo


	6. My Fate Is In My Own Hands

Chapter 6: My Fate Is In My Own Hands

Ichigo dragged his feet in the direction of his house, as the sun slowly set over Karakura town. Caught up in his thoughts, he didn't seem to notice a few of his neighbors passing by and greeting him. If they only knew a fragment of what was going on in his life, surely they'd understand the teen's absent minded behavior.

Ichigo was returning home after a meeting at Urahara's, not entirely pleased with its outcome.

"_As you know, it's been a week since our infamous visit to Soul Society" Urahara stated, with Chad, Ichigo, Ishida and Yoruichi quietly listening in their seats. "Ever since Ukitake and the Research and Development Institute built a new set of barriers over Muken, Aizen's activity has rapidly decreased."_

"_Are we completely sure about that?" Yoruichi inquired. "I know that's what Inoue's been saying, but knowing her…"_

"_She could just be covering up the truth in order to protect everyone." Ishida added in a serious tone._

"_I'm fully aware of that possibility." Urahara replied with a trace of a smirk on his face. "Which is why I've insisted on examining her every morning."_

"_Still, we can't leave things like this." Ichigo joined the conversation. "Aizen won't give up on whatever he's plotting just because of some barriers."_

"_I agree, Kurosaki-kun." Urahara nodded in his direction. "It's only a matter of time before he finds a way to connect with the reiatsu he sealed in Inoue-san." He made a small pause before continuing, carefully eyeing Ichigo, as if scared of his reaction. "The foreign reiatsu in her body has been acting up again over the past few days."_

_Silence crawled in the air for a few moments, as none of the gathered nakama knew how exactly to respond to this unwelcome news. Even Ichigo, whose first instinct was to shoot up at yell an enraged 'WHAT?', managed to control his anger and tried to come up with a constructive reply. _

"_Obviously, I wouldn't have summoned you all today if I didn't have a… Solution in the works, let's call it that." Urahara exclaimed, somewhat proudly, breaking the intense silence._

_Ichigo let out a small sigh of relief, but reminded himself that all of this was far from resolved, and looked up with great interest._

"_I did a lot of research on this subject." Urahara started. "For one to connect himself with a part of his reiatsu outside of his body is incredibly difficult. If that reiatsu is sealed into another person's body, it takes the task to a completely different level."_

"_It would require amazing mind abilities, something I myself cannot even imagine." He continued. "But, no matter how great the ability, it has to have a weak point."_

_Each one of the gathered friends looked up at the straw-haired Shinigami, as the anxiety in the room grew a few notches._

"_In this case, no matter how powerful Aizen's own abilities are, he cannot fully control the host of the reiatsu he's connecting with." Urahara explained slowly, waiting for everyone to fully comprehend his words. _

"_So, you're saying there's a way for Inoue to stop him from… entering her mind?" Ichigo spat those last few words with a dose of venom in his voice._

"_Exactly!" Urahara gave him a small smile. "I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but there is a way for the host, in this case Inoue-san, to protect itself from the manipulation."_

"_So, what is it?" Ichigo asked with great anticipation._

_Urahara let out a small sigh, before answering the burning question. "Like I said, it won't be easy." He repeated. "In order to block any form of manipulation, Inoue-san would have to free herself from any kind of negative thoughts and emotions, worries..."_

"_But that's impossible, isn't it?" Yoruichi stated with a small frown. "That'd be impossible for any human…"_

"_True, but that's not all there is to it." Urahara explained calmly. "She would need to free herself from the negative, but also strongly focus on the positive emotions she has. Love, friendship, peace, anything positive she carries within her will block the foreign reiatsu's activity."_

"_While on the contrary, the negative would only empower Aizen's reiatsu." Ishida reasoned and earned a nod from the Shinigami._

"_It feeds on her troubles, fears, worries." Urahara explained further. "But the love she gives and receives is what would protect her."_

_Another wave of silence entered the room, as everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts. _

"_It will take practice." Urahara's voice captured everyone's attention again. "But it can be done. Inoue-san will come here to practice with me every day, starting tomorrow. The more she can force out the bad, and the more she can focus on the good, the better."_

Ichigo wasn't quite sure what to think of this new plan Urahara had presented. Sure, it beat doing absolutely nothing which is exactly what they've been doing the last week, but still… He was hoping for a strategy that would involve a little more action on his side, like breaking into that prison and beating the living daylights out of that creep.

The Shinigami Substitute forced himself to shove those thoughts away, at least for now, since breaking and entering wasn't an option on Yamammoto watch. Everything Urahara had said earlier seemed to make sense, but Ichigo couldn't help but feel like all of that simply wasn't enough.

It's not like he didn't believe Inoue could protect herself and learn to block Aizen's "attacks". It was far from it. But why was she the one who had to do it? Like it wasn't enough that it was her Aizen had chosen to torture even after his own defeat. Like it wasn't enough that he failed to prevent all of this after they returned from Hueco Mundo AND failed to do something about it after heading to Soul Society a week ago.

And now she was the one who had to fix the problem herself? God, how was he supposed to face her now? Like it wasn't difficult enough to stay out of her way these past few days with her living in his house.

Ichigo let out a heavy sigh and slowly entered the front yard. Urahara had said that Isshin would explain everything about this "training" to Inoue, much to his relief.

It wasn't as if he was avoiding her because he wanted to. He simply felt too ashamed to face her after failing to keep his promises over and over again.

He slowly entered the house, hoping his presence would go unnoticed, but that wasn't about to happen.

"Kurosaki-kun! Welcome back." Inoue appeared from the kitchen with a bowl in her hands. "Dinner's almost ready."

Something about that image of her welcoming him home as a loving housewife felt undeniably right at that very moment, but Ichigo decided to shove what ever it was away, mentally slapping himself for those wild thoughts.

"Hey." He replied simply. "I'm not that hungry. I think I'm just gonna take a shower and call it a day."

"Ah, o-okay." He heard her reply in a confused voice as he already made his way upstairs. He truly hated himself for constantly turning her down like this, but he knew it'd be even worse to try and act like everything was alright. Like it wasn't all his fault.

He couldn't face her before all of this was settled. He wouldn't.

* * *

><p>Orihime slowly started collecting the dishes and let a light sigh escape her lips. It had been a week since she moved in with the Kurosakis, and somehow she managed to grow to love this family even more than before. Chatting with Isshin, cooking with Yuzu or just playing around with Karin… It all seemed like the most natural way to spend the day. This house was starting to feel more and more like the home she had longed for ever since she lost Sora.<p>

"Inoue-san?" She heard Yuzu call out to her. "You can just leave the washing up to us. You've done most of the cooking yourself, after all." She exclaimed cheerfully with Karin nodding beside her.

"B-but, I…" Orihime reminded herself there was no arguing with the two sisters when they were set on something. She learned that much over the past few days. "Fine, I'll just head off to bed then, heh."

"Goodnight!" She heard the girls exclaim in unison and called out the same in return while heading for the stairs.

She entered Ichigo's room and tried not to think of their short interaction in the hallway earlier, but failed miserably. His cold, distant voice kept replaying in her head, and she let out a heavy sigh.

Orihime knew she probably wasn't on his favorite people list after everything she had put him through. She understood that much. But what she couldn't quite process was why he was acting so distant all of a sudden. She'd never seen him treat anyone that way before and couldn't help but feel hurt and slightly betrayed by his actions.

Or maybe Ishida was right?

"_Knowing Kurosaki, the only person he hates right now is himself, for letting this happen to you." _

Orihime couldn't help but smile remembering that morning she spent with Isshida right in this room.

"_Inoue-san, could it be that you're in love with Kurosaki?"_

_Orihime instantly felt her throat go dry and her cheeks grow dark red. He knows? Was she that obvious? Did everyone notice? DID KUROSAKI-KUN NOTICE?_

"_I-I, uh…" She tried to force the words out even though she had yet to figure out how to respond. "I-I…" She tried again, very well aware that she was starting to sound like a crazy person, but more than anything, give herself away by her nervous behavior._

"_I-Inoue-san, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable" Ishida seemed to be regretting ever opening the topic. "Just forget about…"_

"_I am." She gave in. What was the point in trying to hide it? He had already figured it out and the more she'd try to deny it, the more ridiculous it would all get._

"_Inoue-san." She heard her Quincy friend mutter, but couldn't bring herself to look up yet. The heat that captured her cheeks was slowly starting to fade away, and she let out one last sigh before she spoke again._

"_I-I've been in love with him… For a while."_

"_Why haven't you told him anything?" Ishida asked softly and Orihime instantly remembered the night she left for Las Notches. Confessing to someone in their sleeping form was just about the most courageous thing she could ever imagine doing in that aspect. She knew she was too big of a coward to face what ever his reply might be._

_Ishida seemed to have excepted her silence as an answer. "Your secret is safe with me, Inoue-san." He assured her smilingly and she nodded in return._

Orihime slowly pulled the sheets over herself, turned onto her side and rested her head on the comfortable pillow. She'd gotten so used to sleeping in Ichigo's bed that she couldn't help but giggle at the thought of her first night in this room. Back then, she could barely process the thought of sleeping in his bed, but now she was unsure of how she would ever get used to sleeping anywhere else.

As for the reason she ended up here in the first place… Orihime knew that problem was far from resolved, even if her nightmares had disappeared the last few days. It was only a matter of time before Aizen would make a move again, and this time, Orihime decided she would be ready to take him on herself. Having that psychopath make her life a living hell was getting a little old and she was just about fed up with it.

Hearing Urahara's new plan for her earlier couldn't have made her happier. Finally, she would be able to take things into her own hands. Finally, she would be able to protect herself on her own.

And Orihime swore she would, even if it was the last thing she did.

* * *

><p>Ichigo tossed and turned on the living room couch he'd grown accustomed to over the past week, unable to lie still. He wondered if Inoue was already asleep… Wait, why was he wondering about that again?<p>

For some odd reason, whenever he wasn't thinking about her nightmares, Aizen and his possible next move… he was thinking of her. Just her.

But why? Why couldn't he get her out of his head? And to think there was more to it. Lately, every time he did think about her, he'd get this strange, tingling sensation in his right hand. It was much like what he felt when Inoue would heal him, only at these times, he'd only feel it in his hand. The more he thought about it, the more familiar that exact spot became. Like he was wounded right there in the past, and she healed him… Just like that night she left for Hueco Mundo!

Ichigo's eyes widened at the realization. What in the world was going on? Why was his body remembering that night all of a sudden? Right at that moment, pain shot through his head, and suddenly an all too familiar voice entered his mind, but he couldn't quite make out what it was saying.

"_So much…. I wanted to do…."_

"_If only…."_

"_Five lives…."_

Suddenly, the pain disappeared and Ichigo fluttered his eyes open. What the heck was that just now? Was he loosing it?

Whose voice was that just now? And what about those strange words?

As intriguing as it was, Ichigo felt that sleep was slowly starting to claim him. Whatever _that _was just now, he'd deal with it tomorrow.

Who would've thought he'd start hearing voices like Inoue. Except unlike her, his experience (aside from the throbbing pain in his head) wasn't what he'd consider a dark or negative one. On the contrary, it had put him to ease, as he was finally able to drift off and dream of the girl who simply wouldn't leave his thoughts.

**To be continued…**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Guess Ichigo really is losing it, lol! Well, though it's needles to say, I really am sorry for not updating in ages. Reason? A crazy amount of exams and lack of reader interest.

For all of you who have supported the story all along, I've decided to finish it. Hopefully you're still interested and haven't forgotten about me xD

See you at the next chapter : )


	7. Distant Words And Butterflies

Chapter 7: Distant Words And Butterflies

Orihime's eyes followed the straw-haired Shingami in front of her, as she waited patiently for him to start their scheduled "training session". She wasn't as calm as her looks suggested, as the previous night hadn't gone by the way she would have wanted it to.

She tried to cover it, but couldn't help but yawn. The nasty feeling of tiredness and the need for a good night's rest were slowly starting to claim her, but she knew she had to stay focused. Even though the events from last night weren't as dramatic as they used to be, she only managed to catch a few hours of sleep.

She remembered falling asleep pretty easily, and even dreaming of a zombie movie she had watched with Yuzu and Karin the other day, but then… All of those images started fading away, and she felt as if she was being watched or followed, as if someone was about to call out to her… And then she woke up.

It was all far too familiar for Orihime to just brush it off as some sort of a strange dream. Aizen was starting to make his move again, she was sure of it.

"Inoue-san, I take it Isshin already explained why you're here." Urahara finally spoke in his usual, gentle voice earning a nod from the healer. "Excellent. Then we can get down to business."

Orihime nodded again, with a determined look in her eyes. She put all of her doubts and worries aside, and concentrated her mind on the task ahead. Urahara smiled at her, and she could tell that he understood.

It was time this whole nightmare mess met its end.

* * *

><p>Ichigo made his way home after class, with the intention of simply changing his clothes and heading out again in order to avoid any encounters with his auburn- haired friend that happened to live there as well. Glancing at his clock, he realized he'd better hurry, since it was already…<p>

"Oi, Kurosaki!"

_Crap. _He turned around to see his Quincy comrade trying to catch up. Ignoring the usual remarks on how he should have waited, he started walking again, earning a frustrated sigh from his friend.

"So, how's Inoue-san?" Ichigo frowned at the question directed at him, as it was the very reason he made a habit out of returning home alone. "Has she sensed anything weird last night…?"

"No idea." Ichigo blurted out, hoping the Quincy would drop the subject. "I left for school before she got up."

"Couldn't you have walked her to Urahara's…?"

"Isshin dropped her off." Ichigo stated simply and heard his friend sigh in response.

"Kurosaki." Ishida started, and Ichigo already figured this discussion was far from over. "Sometimes I can't even tell if this is all part of your 'I'm-not-worthy-of-her' act or if you actually don't care what happens to her anymore."

This made Ichigo look up in surprise. "What the hell are you talking about? Urahara's taking care of…"

"You know that's not what I mean."

Just as Ichigo was about to reply, another thing caught his attention. A group of freshmen in front of them were in some sort of a heated discussion, which he usually wouldn't give a damn about, but a mention of a certain name had him alerted.

"You know that Inoue Orihime from sophomore year?"

"Yeah! Man, she's hot… You have a picture?"

"Hell yeah! Oh, the things I'd do to that…" The teen didn't get to share that information as a certain Shinigami Substitute grabbed him by the back of his uniform while shooting him a dangerous glare, deadly enough to kill.

"Listen, pipsqueak." Ichigo muttered darkly. "If I hear you and your friends talking about her _one more time_…." He tightened his grip, and the boy let out a terrified whimper. "Well, you get the picture."

And with that, he let go of the trembling boy and watched in disgust as he ran off with his companions. Like hell he'd let some hormonal dogs talk about Inoue that way. She was his friend after all… It's not like he was jealous, though… He was protective of all of his friends! He'd beat up every single one of those horny, brainless lechers…

"Just as I thought." Ishida stopped his train of thoughts. Ichigo looked up to see a huge smirk plastered on his face, and that alone irked him to no end.

"Now what?" He spat, very annoyed that his walk home, which was supposed to be quick and quiet, was turning out this way.

The Quincy's grin turned devious. "You do like Inoue-san."

…

Ichigo was shocked, though his expression wasn't showing it. He knew? Who else knew? He had only started figuring these things out himself and God knows he was no expert when it came to girls. He thought he had masked those confusing new feelings and desires perfectly!

"You're crazy." Ichigo mumbled, unable to think of a less pathetic reply and mentally slapped himself because of it.

"And you're blushing." And much to his horror, his annoying companion was right. His face was starting to feel unnaturally warm.

_This is getting really stupid. _With a scowl, Ichigo quickened his pace in an attempt to leave the Quincy behind, but failed miserably.

"You know, girls pick up on this kind of stuff quickly." He heard Ishida remark from behind. "You better tell her, before she…"

"Would you shut up?" Ichigo snapped, his hands itching to strangle his grinning companion. "I am NOT in love with her!" He shouted angrily, attracting curious looks from around them.

Ishida's grin instantly turned into a confused, slightly shocked expression. "I never even mentioned being in love." He exclaimed carefully, with just a hint of amusement in his voice.

Uncomfortable silence crawled in the air, as Ichigo desperately tried to gather his thoughts and figure out what had just happened. Why did he just… Did he really… Was it possible that he actually…?

"Listen, Kurosaki." Ishida started in a more serious voice. "I won't tell you to confess to her, nor will I try to play the part of a match-maker. This is something between the two of you, and it should stay that way."

Ichigo wanted to deny it, he really did, but apparently his body stopped taking any kind of commands, as he was unable to form a coherent sentence in protest. So, he simply stood there in silence, hoping the Quincy would finally have some mercy on him and stop his torture.

"I will, however, tell you this." Ishida continued, gaining the Shinigami's attention yet again. "Talk to Inoue-san. The way you've been acting around her… It's only making things worse for her."

Ichigo's eyes shot up at this. "What are you talking about?"

"The poor girl thinks you hate her guts!" Ishida suddenly snapped. "You avoid her, don't talk to her… You can't even look her in the eyes!"

"You don't understand-"

"I know it's hard on you!" Ishida protested. "But think about her feelings for a change! Do you really think she understands why you've been acting this way?"

Silence lingered around them, until the Quincy spoke again. "Just promise me you'll talk to her." Ichigo granted him a small nod, at which Ishida smirked widely.

"Of course you could also tell her how much you looove h-… Ouch!"

And so the two nakama chased each other on the streets of Karakura Town for most of the afternoon.

* * *

><p>It was already dark when Ichigo finally returned home. He ended up playing basketball with a group of his classmates after his hunt for a certain Quincy finally came to an end. The truth was, he was trying to buy himself time before facing the unavoidable- talking to Inoue. Eventually, he ran out of places to go to and was forced to realize it was about time he stopped acting like a damn coward.<p>

"Welcome home, Ichi-nii!" Karin appeared in the hallway. "It's late, we were starting to get worried…"

"Sorry about that, I… Nevermind." Ichigo mumbled out, not really feeling like explaining his long absence. It would be far too troublesome after the day he's had. Just then, he noticed something vital was missing.

"Dinner's ready!" Yuzu exclaimed, and the two other siblings entered the kitchen.

"Where's Inoue?" Ichigo asked thoughtfully, seating himself at the table.

"She was exhausted after her lesson with Urahara-san." Karin explained with a hint of worry in her voice.

"She had dinner early and went straight to bed." Yuzu added, and Ichigo nodded in response. He resented the fact that she had to go through all of this alone again, but he knew he had to find a way to deal with it sooner or later. It was the only plan they had after all. Sighing for what seemed the millionth time that day, he shifted his focus on the food in front of him, as his previous activities had him completely worn out.

A couple of hours later, Ichigo found himself twisting and turning on the couch yet again. He had too much on his mind to even think about trying to go to sleep, and he had that damn Ishida to thank for it. Ichigo scowled when he remembered the teasing he had to go through earlier, but what irked him even more was the fact that the Quincy was actually right.

He absolutely hated when that happened.

His initial attraction to the girl upstairs was nothing more than a simple crush. He tried to deny it for a long time, but eventually had to come to terms with the fact that he was developing some sort of feelings for one of his best friends. He figured it was a simple phase, nothing more and nothing less, that those damn butterflies that captured his stomach every time he'd see her were going to vanish eventually, but after today…

"_I never even mentioned being in love."_

It seemed his original, innocent feelings had transformed into something far more serious. And that fact alone scared the Shinigami Substitute more than any Arrankar or Hollow ever could.

He actually fell in love with her. He fell in love with Inoue Orihime.

But could you really blame him? She was the kindest, most generous, loyal, amazing person he'd ever met. She was weird in her own, adorable way. She was a beauty beyond compare, but he didn't really care about that. Not the way those punks he scolded earlier did. She saved his life numerous times. She was always right by his side, no questions asked. How in the world did he not fall in love with her sooner?

But confessing to her? Damn that Ishida for planting such a ridiculous idea in his head! Why on Earth would she want to be with a guy like him? She deserved someone who could give her the world, and he wasn't even able to protect her from a creep in an isolated cell. Just how many traumas did she have to go through, all because of his own weakness?

He couldn't confess to her... There was no way he could do it! There was no way she could ever feel the same way…

Ichigo was too busy with his jumbled thoughts to notice that the tingling sensation in his right hand had returned. In fact, he felt it was even stronger than before. However, he couldn't bring himself to worry about that on top of everything he had to process after this extremely long day.

With one last heavy sigh, Ichigo let his eyelids drop, deciding he should at least try to get that much needed rest his body was craving for. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his head and he clenched the sheets in response. The voice he had heard the night before had returned, only this time, it was clearer, he could almost make out whose it was….

"…_.So much I wanted to do…"_

"_Mister donut…. Cake shop… Astronaut…"_

The pain intensified, but the voice was becoming even clearer.

"_If only… I had… five lives…"_

"_I could have….Five different jobs…. Different towns… Types of food…"_

His eyes widened in shock. He knew who was saying these words.

"_And I could fall in love…. With the same person… Five times."_

Ichigo felt an intense wave of heat shot through his veins. He remembered. It all became crystal clear.

He remembered the night she left for Hueco Mundo.

He remembered the night Inoue Orihime confessed her love to him.

**To be continued…**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Buahaha, one last cliffhanger, I couldn't resist! Well, there's just one chapter left! Hopefully you enjoyed this one, I really had a blast writing it.

Care to share your thoughts?

Either way, hope to see you at the final chapter!

xx


	8. Welcome Back, Halcyon Days

Chapter 8: Welcome Back, Halcyon Days

Orihime glanced at the clock on the nightstand and realized she had been staring at the ceiling for the last hour and a half. She turned to her side and closed her eyes, only to open them again in a matter of moments, sighting in frustration.

It wasn't like she couldn't sleep. Her eyelids could barely stay open and she felt like every cell in her body was begging her to get some rest. After spending the whole day at Urahara's trying to soak up everything the Shinigami had to offer in advice, all she could think about was heading straight to bed. She couldn't even bring herself to wait for Ichigo to get home, even though she needed to talk to him. Obviously, that was a mistake.

Basically, Urahara had explained that in order to block all of her negative emotions, worries and fears, she needed to confront them first. Orihime spent a lot of time figuring out what those negative feelings could possibly be for her, and her mind could only dig up one thing. And that one thing was no other than her current relationship with the Shinigami Substitute she had been living with.

The dilemma of whether he was angry at her or himself, the fact that he wouldn't talk to her or look at her, the question of whether they would ever be able to be friends again… All of those things had been tormenting her daily, but she had always thought it was beyond her control.

Orihime had always felt blessed to a friend like Ichigo in her life, but a small part of her dared to hope that one day he would return her feelings. She knew it was silly of her to think that, but Orihime found it impossible to completely let go of that possibility.

However, at this moment, she would give just about anything to make things go back to the way they were. That's how she realized she needed to do something about it.

She needed to talk to him. If he couldn't face her, she'd have the courage for both of them. In fact, in that moment she was so determined to do it, she felt a sudden need to go downstairs and get it over with right then and there. Glancing at the clock again, she sighed as she realized it was far too late for any kind of conversation. She was probably the only one still awake in the house.

The healer pulled the sheet over her lower body and buried her head into the cool pillow. She couldn't focus on what Urahara had taught her earlier with so much on her mind… Was another restless night ahead?

* * *

><p>Ichigo was loosing his mind.<p>

He had tried just about everything in order to clear his thoughts, but it all lead to one conclusion. What he had just experienced wasn't a dream or his imagination. He wasn't entirely sure how or why he remembered that fateful night, but he had no doubt it was real and that it actually happened. He could feel it.

Inoue confessed her love to him on the night she left for Las Notches. Inoue Orihime was in love with him.

Ichigo wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to feel. A part of him wanted to burst out in joys of happiness as his fears of unrequited love for the girl of his dreams were now gone. The thought of it made his lips curve into a wide smirk. What he had done to deserve a girl like her falling in love with him was beyond his understanding. But, it was probably one of the best things that had ever happened to him none the less.

Still, there were a few complications in the way. Even though she did confess, it was something that happened months ago. Did she still feel the same way? Or did she change her mind after the recent events? Ichigo instantly felt guilty for thinking so poorly of her. Inoue wasn't the type of girl to tell someone she loved them just like that. Her feelings were honest and strong, just like she herself had always been. He was sure of it.

As much as he was thrilled about this new realization, and he truly was, he felt waves of guilt wash over him yet again at the thought of how he had been treating her recently. He scowled as he remembered one of Ishida's remarks from earlier.

"_The way you've been acting around her… It's only making things worse for her."_

At that time, while he was trying to stay out of her way, he really believed he was doing the right thing. But now, all he wished for was to turn back the time and handle everything differently. To actually be there for her.

He sighed and cursed his own stupidity. There was nothing he could do about it now anyway...

Except there was. There was something he could do right away. It was late, and she was probably long asleep, but this just couldn't wait. _He_ couldn't wait.

Taking a deep breath, Ichigo got up and made his way upstairs, to his room. As he reached his destination, he grabbed the door handle, but stayed still for a few moments, unsure of how to proceed. He knew the chances of her still being awake were slim, but decided to knock anyway.

His eyes widened in surprise as he heard her muffled, low voice. „C-come in." Swallowing thickly, he let out one last deep sigh and entered the room.

He found her in a sitting position, with the sheets wrapped up around her legs, staring at him in confusion. „Kurosaki-kun?" Her hair was messy and her skin pale as silver moonlight lit up her innocent face. Somehow, she had never looked more beautiful in his eyes.

„I-Inoue." Ichigo felt a sudden sense of butterflies in his stomach, as if he only now realized what he was about to do. Still, he refused to let himself get distracted and focused his gaze on the auburn-haired girl who was curiously eyeing him from the other side of the room.

„How come you're still awake?" He asked in a low voice as he began to slowly approach her.

„I, uhm..." She trailed off, her eyes widening at the sight of him sitting himself beside her. „I had a lot on my mind." She confessed, and Ichigo swore he saw a light blush forming on her cheeks.

„Like what?"

„Uh, well..." She struggled to form an answer, as her blush turned darker and Ichigo could tell his questions were making her uncomfortable. „I just..." She tried again, but her gaze dropped as if she lost all of her courage.

As adorable as she was, all flustered and nervous like that, Ichigo felt guilt clench at his stomach. Was it because of him that she couldn't sleep? Had his behavior affected her that much? Ichigo felt his heart sink. He really had been making things worse for her.

Silence creeped for a few more moments, and Ichigo realized he wasn't about to get a concrete answer from the healer. So, he settled for a new kind of approach.

„You know, Inoue, I was having trouble sleeping too." He exclaimed calmly, gaining back her attention. „There's this one thought that I just couldn't get rid of." For some reason, she was avoiding to look him directly, and he noticed her blush was still it just from him sitting so close to her?

Trying his hardest to suppress a smirk, he continued. „Imagine having five lives." Her eyes instantly grew in shock and he wondered what kind of thoughts were racing through her mind right now. He realized he might have been slightly torturing her, but he needed to do this right. The way she deserved it.

„Five towns, five types of foods, five jobs... Honestly, I have no idea what I'd do with five lives!" He confessed and noticed her cheeks turned a deeper shade of tomato red. Her eyes were staring at him in disbelief, as if she was questioning if this was really happening to her. He smiled gently and started slowly leaning towards her.

„All I know..." He started in a whisper. „ Is that... I'd fall in love... With the same person... Five times." And with that, he captured her lips with his own. She let out a small, muffled whimper underneath him, but soon started returning the kiss, to which he smirked in response.

Finally, she was his. His alone. After a few sensual moments, he slowly pulled away and smiled at her startled expression. „I love you too, Orihime."

* * *

><p>Orihime was in a state of shock, to say the least. As she desperately tried regaining her depleted breath, <em>her mind<em>_ simply_ refused to _form_ any type of _coherent thought_ processes. She summed up all of her courage and looked up at the boy she had just shared her first kiss with. His smile widened as he tucked a stray of hair behind her ear

He seemed to understand just how startled she was, as he kept silent and gave her a few moments to compose herself.

She wasn't quite sure if she would ever be able to fully comprehend what had just happened between them.

_Did Kurosaki- kun just say he... loved me?_

She felt her cheeks grow even warmer, if that was even possible and she could practically hear her heard trumping wildly in her chest. Could he hear it too?

A part of her was still in disbelief that her long time crush had just kissed her, but an even bigger part tried to figure out how in the world something like this could happen. He remembered her confession! How was that even possible? Since when has he known?

Was all of this just a dream...? It had to be, he couldn't possibly...

„Orihime?" His soft voice broke her jumbled thoughts and made her shift her gaze back at him.

„K-kurosaki-kun, h-how...?" She was surprised by how shaky her voice sounded, but forced herself to continue. „B-back then, you were asleep... H-how did you remember?"

„I'm not really sure myself" He stated calmly, leaning on his arm. „I kept hearing a voice, but I didn't know whose it was, until tonight..." He put his hand over her smaller one. „Why didn't you just tell me sooner?"

„I..." She started weakly. „I thought you were mad at me, a-and I'm always such a burden on you a-and... "

She was silenced as he suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. He rested his head in the crock of her neck, and she shivered in delight as she felt his hot breath on her skin. „Idiot." He murmured and tightened his hold. „You could never be a burden... How could I ever be mad at you?"

He gently pulled away and she gazed deep into his eyes. A few moments of silence passed until she finally spoke out. „I still can't believe any of this..." She confessed weakly.

„Well, you better believe it..." He started with a smile. „Cause I'm not letting you go anytime soon."

And with that, he captured her lips into another passionate kiss.

* * *

><p>Ichigo leaned forward, lowering her on her back while positioning himself above her, never breaking their contact. He felt her wrap her hands around his neck and drew him even closer and he deepened their kiss in response. One of his hands gently caressed her cheek and the other ran down the side of her body.<p>

He felt her shiver against his touch as his hand slid under her top. She moaned in delight, and Ichigo felt like his control might not be as strong as he had initially thought. Especially since his hand was now getting dangerously near the hook of her bra...

The last thing he wanted was to initiate something she wasn't ready for. So, with a tremendous amount of will power, he pulled away and lowered himself beside her.

She looked at him with her beautiful, hazel eyes and to his surprise, started lightly caressing his arm. Not that he minded it, though. Ichigo let his eyelids fall and decided to grant himself a few more dreamlike moments in her presence. He wondered if this was what paradise felt like. He could never get tired of this... Of her...

Unfortunately, reality swooped down on him sooner that he wished for.

„Did you want to sleep?" He whispered. He really didn't feel like leaving, but he knew very well how much she needed her rest „It's getting really late, I should probably..."

„No." His eyes flared in surprise at her sudden protest. „I-I mean, if it's not too much trouble... I think I'd feel better if you... stayed." She confessed while blushing and looking away in embarrassment.

Ichigo smirked and placed a light kiss on her lips. „Of course I'll stay."

He buried his face into her hair and took in her sweet scent, as he wrapped his hand over her tiny waist and drew her closer to him. _Heaven. _Having this girl in his arms, being able to hold her, to kiss her... It truly felt like heaven.

However, there was one last thing he needed to confess.

„I'm sorry for acting like a jerk recently." He mumbled out. „I'm sorry I hurt you, I was just..."

„I know." She suddenly exclaimed. „Ishida-kun kind of helped me understand..."

Ichigo smiled. That annoying Quincy... He had to remember to thank him tomorrow.

He tightened his hold on her. „Will you be okay tonight...?" He had to ask. „I mean, if Aizen..."

„Now that Kurosaki-kun's with me, I'm not afraid." She gave him one of her brightest smiles. „I'll be fine."

Ichigo smiled at the girl in his arms. Really, what had he done to deserve her? He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before whispering into her ear. „I love you so much."

Her smile widened. „I love you too... For more than five lifetimes."

* * *

><p>A few minutes of silence passed, and Orihime felt sleep was slowly starting to claim her. She could hear light snores from behind her and giggled quietly.<p>

What she said earlier was the truth. With her protector right by her side, she knew she was going to be safe. In fact, she didn't think she had ever felt safer than at this very moment. She remembered his gentle kisses and touches and instantly felt those butterflies rise up in her stomach again.

„_I love you too, Orihime."_

Her lips curved into a wide, genuine smile.

Yes, she would be fine.

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And there you have it! Nightmare Realm is finally finished! I think I'm actually going to miss writing this story...

Well, this was my very first chaptered story, so I'd really like to know what you thought of it! Did you like Ichigo's version of the FLOL speech? xD Please do share your thoughts! :D

THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading, reviewing, favoriting, supporting! It means a lot!

Take care everyone!

xx

Blossom


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